Which Bin Does It Go In?
Search any item you're throwing out to see which of Narva's four bins it belongs in — including the bio-waste rules that became mandatory in 2023.
Type what you’re throwing out — it tells you which bag or cart it goes in.
Narva's organised waste collection runs on four streams: bio-waste, packaging, paper and card, and mixed residual waste. Bio-waste collection became mandatory here on 1 November 2023, and it still catches people out — search anything you're throwing out to see which bin or bag it belongs in.
The streams
Food scraps and garden waste. Collected at least every 2 weeks, weekly for buildings with more than 10 flats. Line the bin with a biodegradable bag or paper — never an ordinary plastic bag.
Plastic, glass and metal packaging, and — the one that catches people out — clean beverage cartons, which go here rather than in paper.
Clean, dry paper and plain cardboard. Nothing waxed, laminated, food-stained, or with a foil lining.
Everything that isn't sorted for one of the other streams, and isn't hazardous or bulky. Collected at least every 4 weeks, or every 12 weeks if you have separate bio-waste or home composting arranged.
Never in any household bin. Free for Narva residents at the hazardous-waste collection point, Rakvere tn 22c — Tuesdays and Saturdays 09:00–13:00, Thursdays 15:00–19:00.
The full list, bin by bin
- Fruit and vegetable peelings
- Meat and fish scraps, bones
- Bread, pastries, leftover food
- Coffee grounds and teabags
- Eggshells and nutshells
- Cheese, butter, margarine
- Egg cartons made of moulded paper pulp — The one paper-looking item that goes in bio, not paper — it's pulp, not sheet paper.
- Grass, leaves, garden and yard waste
- Cut flowers, houseplants
- Plastic drink bottles and canisters
- Yoghurt, butter and cream tubs
- Empty cooking oil, ketchup and mayonnaise bottles
- Shampoo, cosmetic and cleaning-product bottles
- Plastic bags and cling film
- Glass bottles and jars
- Metal cans and tins
- Clean beverage cartons — Milk, juice and yoghurt cartons go in packaging, not paper — even though they look paper-based.
- Cardboard boxes sealed with tape — A taped box counts as packaging here, not plain paper/card.
- Newspapers, magazines, catalogues, flyers
- Notebooks, printer paper, writing paper
- Envelopes and paperback books
- Plain, untaped cardboard boxes and cartons — Only if it's clean and has no tape or plastic film — see the packaging stream for taped boxes.
- Plain gift wrap (no foil or glitter)
- Nappies and sanitary products
- Cat litter and pet waste
- Greasy or food-soiled packaging, paper towels, foil
- Vacuum cleaner bags, cold ash, rubber items
- Broken plates, glasses and ceramics — Window glass, drinking glasses and ceramics are not the same as bottle glass — they go in mixed waste, not packaging.
- Worn-out shoes, clothes and toys
- Chewing gum, cigarette butts, used tissues
- Incandescent light bulbs, CDs — Only ordinary bulbs. Fluorescent and energy-saving bulbs are hazardous — see below.
- Wallpaper, stickers, tape
- Batteries and rechargeable accumulators
- Expired or unused medicines
- Paint, glue, varnish, solvents
- Waste engine oil and oil filters
- Fluorescent tubes, energy-saving bulbs, mercury thermometers
- Household chemicals and pesticides
Bio-waste has been mandatory since 1 November 2023
Line the bio-bin with paper or a compostable bag — never plastic
Minimum emptying frequency
Home composting can exempt a small property
Not the curb — these go to a depot
Narva Jäätmekäitluskeskus (the general waste station) — Lääne tn 7
Construction debris, furniture, tyres, bulky cardboard, and electrical and electronic equipment including TVs and fridges. Open Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00, Saturday 09:00–13:00, closed Sundays and public holidays. Fees apply for most loads — call +372 35 77 676 or check njk.ee before you go. This is a different site from the free hazardous-waste point below.
Free hazardous-waste collection point — Rakvere tn 22c
Paint, glue, varnish and solvents (up to 20 l), waste oil and oily rags (up to 20 l), fluorescent tubes and mercury thermometers, expired medicines (up to 2 kg at a time), chemicals and pesticides (up to 10 l), and batteries (no limit) — all free, for Narva residents only. Open Tuesdays and Saturdays 09:00–13:00, Thursdays 15:00–19:00. Businesses and institutions must arrange their own hazardous-waste contracts and cannot use this point.
The last word
The department's own sorting guide (Narva Linna Jäätmete Liigiti Kogumise Juhend) is the source for the streams and items on this page. For anything about your own bin or account, contact Linnamajandusamet on +372 35 99 253 or linnamajandus@narva.ee.
Narva Linnavalitsuse Linnamajandusamet — organised waste collection and sorting guide is the authority for your address.
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